A blog about a Brownie Unit – Brownie Meeting ideas

Edible Campfire 2.0: Healthier Alternatives

You may have already seen Brownie Camping: Edible Campfire from two years ago. I think that edible campfire is a valuable activity that should remain on our agendas but we’ve all had girls in our units with food allergies, intolerances, and religious restrictions – and we know that as role models, we should offer healthier “fun” food. Candy and cheezies aren’t the only way… the time has come for an update.

Why Edible Campfire? You may have answered “because it is tradition!” or “it is so much fun!” and both are right. But edible campfire is also a great way to teach a real-world lesson safely (no matches involved). Using food, we demonstrate how to set a real fire correctly, laying the groundwork for when the girls are old enough to do it themselves. For me, I didn’t actually “get” how to start a fire until tinder was equated to the broken up hickory sticks we ate the night before. It is silly, but marshmallows as stones; pretzels as kindling; hickory sticks as tinder …etc. made more sense to me. And it was fun!

Text from Snowy Owl Christine’s bag of tricks – Thanks to Guiders Claudia, Jen and Christine for their input and expertise.

IMPORTANT: Always discuss your menu and plans with the parents of kids with restrictions to make sure that you’ve got food that is appropriate for their child. They are your best advocates and will be happy to hear from you.

Edible Campfire – Putting in the Kindling

When we make a campfire, we need a clear area free of dried grass and sticks.Supplies: plate, paper plate, or dinner napkin

And we like to use an established fire pit. Make a fire pit ring with:Original Instructions: Skittles, M&Ms, mini marshmallows, or chocolate rocks.Healthier: use dried fruit (ripped up apricots would do and should be gluten free too – check to make sure they’re packaged in a peanut freefactory if applicable).Gluten Free– check the package to confirm, but marshmallows should be gluten free.Halal – marshmallows are not appropriate for a child who eats a Halal diet. But you can buy suitable alternatives – in this case, have the child rip up a few to make rocks.

Do we have the right safety equipment on hand?
Supplies: cup of water (bucket) and a table fork or spoon (shovel).

Pull back your hair, and make sure you’re not wearing anything that could hang into the fire. (Find more about fire safety here too).

A good campfire needs kindling – small sticks that will light easily but keep burning for a while. Build an A frame or other structure.Original instructions: Hickory Sticks or small pretzelsHealthier: whole dried banana chips (should be gluten free and possibly peanut free too) or fresh carrot sticks (matchstick cut).Gluten free: Glutino Pretzels (these are expensive!).

Next we need a fire starter (crumpled up paper) – something that will keep burning long enough to catch the tinder on fire.Original instructions: Raisins (which should also be gluten free and are healthier)– sprinkle over the fire

And then we need tinder – pieces of wood that are smaller than kindling will catch fire easily. Break up and sprinkle over fire: Original instructions: Hickory SticksHealthier and Gluten Free: Dried bananas would work.

Now we can strike our match (light imaginary match – be sure to strike it away from your body) to light the fire starter.

Watch the fire start!Original Instruction: Place Red candies like Gummy Bears or Swedish berries over the fireHealthier: Dried cranberries would be perfectGluten free: Spark Guider Claudia has Celiac and suggests that Swedish Berries, Fuzzy Peaches, Gummy Bears (generally any Manyards brand candies) are fine. Many also appear to be peanut free (always read the label and check with the parent).Don’t use Licorice Nibs though…licorice has wheat.

Now that the fire is going, you want to carefully add larger logs in a log cabin pattern or similar.Original Instruction: Breadsticks or bigger Pretzels make good logsHealthier and Gluten Free: try strips of dried apple or fresh carrot sticks cut up like logs (or baby carrots cut in half or quarters so they won’t roll around).

Once the fire has been burning for a bit, you get coals – the best conditions for cooking food and roasting marshmallows. Original instruction: Place another redish candy – Hot lips, or Fuzzy Peach and watch the fire burn.Other options:Use a different gluten free candy, or dried fruit (apricots or dried strawberries would be nice) from point 9 above.

Now your fire is done. In our case, this is the last activity before Camp Close – parents are usually arriving. Girls are instructed to pick up the four corners of the napkin and put the whole thing in a plastic zip bag for the trip home. It is usually a good photo op for parents and the girls have a snack.